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Bryan Acton, Ph.D.
I am fascinated by adopting cutting-edge statistical and programming techniques for studying complex system dynamics including leadership in teams. This includes designing simulations using agent-based models to generate large and complex data structures, using predictive models to better understand complex data, and communicating data-driven insights from web applications made in Shiny.
Education
Ph.D., Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA
2020 - 2016
- Dissertation: Using agent-based modeling to test and integrate process-oriented perspectives of leadership emergence
- Faculty Advisor: Dr. Roseanne Foti
M.S., Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA
2016 - 2014
- Thesis: Working in harmony: the impact of personality on the short- and long-run dynamics of team cohesion
B.A., Psychology
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
North Adams, MA
2013 - 2009
- Honors Program
- Summa Cum Laude
Research Experience
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Durham University Business School (Centre for Leadership & Followership)
Durham, UK
Current - 2020
- Working on multiple projects including a lead on a project investigating identity invention dynamics in college students in the UK. Developed entire script in R for measuring identity dynamics using dynamical systems perspective developed by Dr. Steven Boker and colleagues.
- Taught multiple R workshops to faculty and staff across multiple subjects such as text transcription and basic data wrangling.
- Have multiple publications and book chapters either out for review or in preparation with submission in the coming months. Also working on putting together new funding proposal for Army Research Institute with Dr. Robert Lord and colleagues on using predictive modeling to assess memory processing in items used in leadership scales.
Lab Coordinator and Graduate Research Assistant
Interface of Leadership and Teams Lab (PI: Dr. Roseanne Foti)
Virginia Tech
2019 - 2016
- Worked with team of faculty, as only Graduate Assistant for Army Research Institute Basic Research Grant Titled: Episodic and Semantic Memory Effects on Leadership Measurement and Prediction of Leadership Outcomes. Also was ILT lab coordinator for two years.
- Led data collection across three different studies, two using larger online sampling, and one in-lab study with army corps of cadets.
- Designed multiple tools for both data collection and data analysis, including a python program to code linguistic features of leadership items, random forest models (using R) for predicting memory processing of leadership judgements, and an experimental procedure using PsychoPy.
As a part of my role as lab coordinator for two years in the ILT lab, I directly mentored nine undergraduates. I am excited to share that five of these students continued on to masters programs, and two continued on to doctoral programs.
Publications
Acton, Braun, & Foti (2020) was awarded an annual “Editors Commendation” award for notable papers of the year.
Selected Current Projects
Capturing identity invention with a system dynamics approach
Drs. Karolina Nieberle, Susanne Braun, Robert Lord (Durham University)
N/A
Current - 2020
- Purpose of the project is to model the process of how first year students in university invent their initial leader and follower identities. We studied identity fluctuations at the daily-level across three different contexts across a year.
- Working paper reviewed by many colleagues including Dr. Steven Boker (UVA). Paper accepted into upcoming conference symposium. Paper recently accepted into paper development workshop. Plans for submission shortly after feedback from workshop.
- In addition to central paper, I am working on developing a Shiny application to easily visualize system dynamics with Dr. Steven Boker. I am also working on a paper that will serve as a tutorial and R package for an introduction to performing dynamical systems analyses (planned for method journal submission).
Using supervised learning to classify leadership scale items in terms of memory processing
Dr. Robert Lord (Durham University)
N/A
Current - 2020
- Purpose of this project is to use our multiple samples of past leadership ratings (N > 30000), to train a classification model to identify the role of item characteristics in memory processing for leadership judgements.
- We are working on a grant submission for funding from the US Army Research Institute to fund additional data collection and other resources.
- Ultimate goal will be to create a shiny application that can serve as an instrument development tool, so that people can input items they are working on and identify the type of memory processing people would use for that item.
Race, identity, & leadership emergence
Drs. Tyree Mitchell (LSU), Patrick Coyle (La Salle University)
N/A
Current - 2019
- Purpose of this project is to test our theory about the complicated role of identity expression in organizations. We utilize a sample of student teams working over time. The paper originally received a revision, but we are now working on an agent-based model to test the temporal implications of race on leadership over time, with plans of resubmitting the paper.
- I am leading the development of the agent-based model where we simulate teams with different combinations of the core study variables. We will next manipulate some of the assumptions about diversity and teams.
- I am using this paper to prepare a paper on using agent-based models to study team dynamics with a walk-through tutorial.
Meta-analysis of leader identity development
Drs. Janey Zheng, Karolina Nieberle, Richard Morgan (Durham University)
N/A
Current - 2020
- Article coding on-going, with plan to submit for review this summer.
- I developed a python script for automatically searching article PDFs for specific keywords.
The early development of gender bias in leadership
Drs. Roseanne Foti (Virginia Tech), Julie Dunsmore (University of Houston), Erika Hernandez (Penn State)
N/A
Current - 2018
- Coded drawings from children in middle childhood for leadership, as well as used interviews about these leaders to understand the potential existence of gender bias in leadership in middle childhood.
- Paper accepted at multiple conferences previously. Plans to submit research report to journal this summer.
Modeling the power of affect in leadership judgments
Drs. Tiffany Keller Hansbrough (Fairleigh Dickinson), Paul Hanges (University Maryland), Roseanne Foti (Virginia Tech), Robert Lord (Durham University)
N/A
Current - 2021
- We have designed two experiments where we test the role of affect on accuracy in leadership judgements. I am using causal random forest analysis to assess what factors lead to the largest treatment effect.
- Initial paper proposal currently under review for a special issue in a top journal in the leadership field.
Teaching Experience
Power and Status (PSYC 42115)
Durham University, Psychology Masters Program
Durham, UK
2021 - 2021
- Taught two separate 3-hour lectures. The first was an Intro to leadership lecture and the second was an inclusive leadership lecture
- Graduate level class with Masters students taught via Zoom
Industry Experience
Advisor on Implementation Science Committee
Promote Care Prevent Harm
https://promotecarepreventharm.org/advisors
Present - 2021
- Lead developer on Shiny application used to collect data and assess development of self-regulation in schools
Summer Graduate Assistant
Office of the Provost
Virginia Tech
2017 - 2017
- Assisted in creating evaluation tool for University’s “new faculty grant”
- Co Authored article published in issue of journal of Society of Women Engineers magazine
Professional Graduate Assistant
University Office of Professional Development (UOPD)
Virginia Tech
2016 - 2015
- Designed/distributed questionnaires for UOPD’s professional development programs using Qualtrics
- Shadowed/assisted various speakers during UOPD’s organizational development workshops
Blogs Written (About)
Currently writing posts on data analysis tutorials using R, improving the process of team science, and other topics.
bpacton.com
N/A
Present - 2020
Workshops Taught
Transcribing text and initial text analysis using R
Durham University Centre for Leadership & Followership
N/A
8/2021
- Taught 2-hour long workshop to smaller group of faculty and graduate students
- Covered how to use “TranscribeR” package and “tidytext” package in R to analyze text data
Introduction to the Tidyverse and data analysis in R
Virginia Tech ILT Lab
N/A
2/2021
- Taught 1.5 hour long workshop to a small group of PhD students and undergraduates
I have my data. Now what? A tutorial on data cleaning, wrangling, and initial analysis via R
Durham University PhD Students
N/A
12/2020
- Taught 2-hour long workshop which served as an introduction to R for social scientists to a group of 15+ PhD Students
Conference Presentations
An application and tutorial for creating within-person memory-sourced leadership scales
Speaker & Lead Author
Academy of Management Annual Conference
2021
- Authored with Drs. Robert Lord, Tiffany Keller Hansbrough and Roseanne Foti
More than liking: the role of memory systems and language in leadership ratings
Lead author on Poster
Society of Industrial Organizational Psychology Annual Conference
2021
- Authored with Drs. Robert Lord, Tiffany Keller Hansbrough and Roseanne Foti
Assessing the impact of self-identity on organizational outcomes using an implicit measure
Speaker & Lead Author
Academy of Management Annual Conference
2020
- Authored with Drs. Robert Lord, Tiffany Keller Hansbrough and Roseanne Foti
Capturing the process of cohesion emergence using continuous rating assessments.
Author, Speaker & Organized Symposium
Society of Industrial Organizational Psychology Annual Conference
2019
- Authored with Dr. Charles Calderwood and Zach Mastrich
Ready & willing: assessing profiles of leader/follower self-schemas.
Author & Speaker
Society of Industrial Organizational Psychology Annual Conference
2019
- Authored with Dr. Roseanne Foti
Agent-based modeling: current and future directions in organizational psychology.
co-Author on Poster
Society of Industrial Organizational Psychology Annual Conference
2019
- Authored with Dr. Trevin Glasgow & Dr. Roseanne Foti
An examination of psychological collectivism using item response theory.
co-Author on Poster
Society of Industrial Organizational Psychology Annual Conference
2018
- Authored with C. Du & Dr. Roseanne Foti
Putting two-and-two together: using sociometric measures to capture cohesion emergence
Speaker & Lead Author
Society of Industrial Organizational Psychology Annual Conference
2017
- Authored with Dr. Michael Braun
Increasing the power to detect adverse impact in small selection contexts.
co-Author on Poster
Society of Industrial Organizational Psychology Annual Conference
2017
- Authored with Dr. Maureen McCusker, Derek Burns, Nathan Wycoff, & Dr. Neil Hauenstein
The role of the “mere presence effect” in the development of intra-group cohesion.
Lead author on Poster
Society for Personality & Social Psychology
2017
- Authored with Drs. Yashna Shah, Danny Axsom, & Roseanne Foti
I have many more conference presentations. If you are interested in an expanded list, please email me.
Social Psychology (PSYC 2048)
Virginia Tech, Psychology Department
Blacksburg, VA
2017 - 2016
I received the “Favorite Faculty Award,” awarded by the student services department at Virginia Tech.